A beginners guide to All Grain and BIAB brewing


Introduction.


All grain brewing differs a lot from brewing from a malt extract ingredient kit, you are extracting your own wort from grain rather than using a pre made malt extract, this involves heating the grain to release fermentable sugars and then sparging (rinsing the grain through with hot water). The wort is then brought to a rolling boil, ready for the hops to be added and finally cooling to a low enough temperature to pitch your yeast using a wort chiller, therefore additional equipment is required to kit brewing. (See list below)

After the boiling and chilling process, All Grain brewing is not dissimilar to brewing from a kit. You will ferment, and bottle or barrel in the same way as kit making, so the extra equipment required is all for the initial process.


There are some other options for all grain brewing, BIAB is an option for small batches where brewers simplify the process a little, often not using the wort chiller, but reducing the temperature with ice cold water to help bring the temperature down and then reducing it further by placing the fermenter in a sink filled with cold water and frozen bottles of water or ice packs.

Another option is an all in one brewing system, such as the Grainfather, which does a lot of the hard work automatically by use of pre set programs.


Basic Equipment Needed

Minimum: Balliihoo Basic Homebrew Starter Equipment Kit consisting of:

  • Fermentation Bucket with temperature indicator

  • Plastic Spoon

  • Pint Glass

  • Hydrometer

  • Syphon Tube & U-Bend

  • VinClasse 100g Steriliser

  • Handy Airlock

  • Mashing/Sparging Bag

  • Boiling Bucket / Mashing Bin

  • A suitable recipe, with all required ingredients


Recommended: Balliihoo Complete Starter Set With Bottles which includes everything above (except the syphon tube), 

but also includes:

  • Tap and Bottling Stick

  • Trial Jar

  • Jug

  • Small Funnel

  • 2x Packs of Carbonation Drops

  • 48 Plastic Bottles

  • Cleaning Cloth


Specific All Grain Brewing Equipment Needed

Minimum: 

  • Mashing/Boiling Bin 

  • Wort Chiller

  • Mashing And Sparging Bag

  • Thermometer


Step 1: Cleaning
Arguably the most important part of homebrewing: it’s important to clean and sterilise all equipment that will come into contact with the brew, as fermenting beer is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria which, if it takes hold, will ruin your finished beer.

There are three main types of Steriliser: 

  1. Chlorine Based (VinClasse Cleaner Steriliser and VWP are both examples of this)

  2. Sodium Percarbonate (A very gentle ‘No-Rinse Cleaner’, not dissimilar to the steriliser used for cleaning baby bottles) 

  3. Sodium Metabisulphite (A very harsh steriliser traditionally used in homebrewing, but not the author’s recommendation)


Follow the instructions on the steriliser packaging closely: make up the sterilising solution and pour it into your fermentation bucket.
Place all other equipment inside and wash thoroughly, then leave to soak for a short time before draining the solution out of the bucket and carefully rinsing all equipment. (Rinsing is not necessary with Sodium Percarbonate, but the author recommends this as it can leave a slightly chalky residue)


Step 2: Planning 

Either using a book, homebrew forums, or the Grainfather app (highly recommended!) find a recipe which takes your fancy.

Ensure you have all the grains, yeast, and hops necessary.


Step 3. Mashing and Mashing Out

Fill the mashing bin with water, and heat to the required temperature, as indicated by the recipe.
Insert grains into a mashing/sparging bag and slowly lower into the mashing bin, taking care not to spill grains or touch the heating element.
Carefully stir well. Start the timer as the recipe suggests. (typically 60 minutes)

At the end of the Mash, you may need to increase the heat. This is called ‘Mashing out’. When it reaches the required temperature, start the timer as the recipe suggests.


Step 4. Boiling

Remove the grains and top up with additional water if the recipe requires it (If you’re able to, place the sparging bag into a colander with a pan underneath, and pour hot water over the top to rinse out the last drops of goodness to go back into the mashing bin).
Raise the temperature to 100°C (or whatever temperature the recipe requires).

Add the hops as the recipe requires, and boil (usually for 60 or 90 minutes)

If the recipe requires you to add any other hops towards the end of the boil (usually 10 minutes before the end), you should do so. (Adding hops towards the end of the boil adds to the aroma, whereas the hops at the beginning of the boil contribute to the overall flavour)


Step 5. Chilling and Transfer

Having sterilised your wort chiller, set it up by plugging one end into a hose pipe connecting to a cold water tap. Connect another hose pipe to the other end, towards a drain.
Cool to between 18°C and 26°C. Once cooling is complete, transfer to your fermenting bucket.


Step 6. Checking the Gravity

The Hydrometer is an important piece of equipment which enables the homebrewer to not only check the alcoholic content of their product but can also enable the homebrewer to track the progress of fermentation.

Check the original gravity of the brew using the hydrometer by floating it in a sample and reading off the level. (Ignore the decimal point and read it as 990, 1000, 1010, 1020 etc.). Most beer kits will read approximately 1040 at this stage. 

Write the gravity level down and label it as your ‘original gravity’ You will want this reading for later in the process!

Check the temperature of your brew is between 18°C and 26°C then add the yeast and stir in.
Fit the lid tightly to the bucket and insert the handy airlock into the whole in the lid (add a little water into the bubbler)


Step 7. Fermentation
Fermentation usually only can take place between 18°C and 26°C so please ensure your brew stays between these temperatures throughout the entire fermentation process.
After around 5 days any froth will have sunk to the bottom of the container and the gravity can be checked again. When you have two unchanged readings over two consecutive days the beer will be ready for bottling or barrelling.
Write down the Final Gravity Reading.
If you want to add beer finings at this point, you can. Leave for another 24 hours before moving on to the next stage if you do. However, beer finings are not particularly necessary for a beginner. 


Step 8. Checking the strength of the beer

The strength of the beer is calculated using the Original Gravity Reading (from Step 3) and the Final Gravity Reading. There is a handy homebrew alcohol calculator here to help with this.


Step 9. Transferring to Bottles or a Pressure Barrel
Transfer the beer to bottles using a syphon tube, being careful not to disturb any of the sediment. Or using a bottling tap and stick (if using the Complete Starter Kit with Bottles). Add around 80g of sugar to prime a barrel. If bottling, use 1 teaspoon of sugar per 500ml bottle or 2 carbonation drops. 

Keep your beer in the warm for 4 days, this will allow secondary fermentation to take place which will carbonate within the sealed barrel or bottles.
Leave to stand for approximately 2 weeks for the beer to condition and clear before drinking.